Mapetla fires back

Estate Agency Affairs Board CEO Nomonde Mapetla learned of the reasons for her suspension, and later for her firing, from newspapers.

This emerged during the first round of argument in the Johannesburg High Court yesterday.

Mapetla has made an urgent application to the court that her dismissal be declared unlawful.

Her application includes a request for a ruling on whether the board that fired her was properly constituted. It had only 11 members but the Estates Agency Affairs Board Act states that the minister of trade and industry shall appoint 15 members.

Dali Mpofu, Mapetla's advocate, told the court yesterday that a "flagrant disregard" had been shown for her common law rights, which entitled her to a disciplinary hearing and to be given the reasons for her suspension.

"The charges were not communicated to us so that the general public must think there's no smoke without fire," said Mpofu.

Ross Hutton, lead counsel for the board, argued that the matter should not be heard in a high court and was better suited to the Labour Court.

Judge Lotter Wepener is expected to rule today on whether the application should be treated as urgent.

The Estate Agency Affairs Board has contended that Mapetla's contract was terminated because she had failed to comply with a condition of her suspension on full pay - that she would not speak to the media.